Chapter Twenty
Tori's POV
I'm just leaving my last class of the day when Veronica comes to find me. " Hey feel like coming to a poker game with me? "
" You found the thief? " I ask perking up.
She grins in answer. " Of course. Did you ever have any doubts? "
" Nope. " I say linking my arm with hers. " What does one wear to a poker game? "
Veronica giggles. " Something you would wear to a fancy Christmas party. "
We rush home and get ready. I don't know if this is the way to go about being left out of his " business ", but I have to be there. We take my car and are the last to arrive. The Echoll's party is in full swing as we walk around the back of the house and into Logan's game room.
Everyone is already seated around the table, except for Eli who lets us in. Logan is handing out the chips with a cigar dangling from his mouth.
" Ho, ho... " He pauses dramatically to look directly at Veronica. " ...ho. "
She laughs in mock appreciation at his " wit " and drops her bag on the floor. Eli picks it up and puts it away with his eyes on me the entire time.
" You two want a sodey-pop or somethin'? " He asked.
I shake my head and give him a hug. He holds me tight for a moment before pulling back in an attempt to keep his manliness in check.
" You know, I think I want something with a little more kick. " Veronica says taking the bottle of Jack Daniels from Duncan.
He tries to take it back from her. " Hey, no. "
Veronica lifts the bottle to her lips and pours it straight down her throat. Duncan looks resigned but the others are impressed.
" Damn, girl! " Weevil says taking his seat and pulling me down into his lap.
She finishes it and looks at Duncan. " Mmm. Iced tea? "
" Yeah. " He says hanging her head in shame.
She cracks a grin. " How very musical theatre of you. "
Logan stares at Duncan and smiles in wonder. Veronica walks around the table.
" Duncan can't remember the alphabet when he drinks let alone figure out 20% of the pizza bill. " She explains.
Logan grabs the bottle to smell it. " No, he didn't play drunk to steal your money, he played drunk to win your money. To no avail, it seems."
She looks over at Connor and says, " oh, and Connor isn't a drug addict. I know... The constant bathroom visits. He wasn't going for a fix. He was going because of the Sun Tea. It's those diuretic wrestlers down when they need to go up a weight class or that actors use before they're half-naked on the cover of "Vanity Fair". "
Duncan laughs and Connor shrugs knowing that it's true.
" And then, there's bachelor number three. " Ronnie says going over to Logan. " And he's got it all. Motive. Access. Looks like an evildoer, " She says before sniffing around him. " Smells like an evildoer... "
He rolls his eyes.
" ...but surprisingly...not so much. " She says and Eli stiffens under me. " Weevil cleared him. He told me he searched the room but didn't go through it as much as he wanted. When I saw it, it looked like it had been raided by the FBI. "
I have to admit it is very amusing to hear her go through the list like this. People call her Nancy Drew in jest, but that's an accurate depiction.
" If Logan took the money and hid it, he wouldn't have had to tear the room apart looking for it. So, two left. The boy from the wrong side of the tracks and the boy who lives in the most expensive house in the 09er zip... " She says taking off her coat. " So, do you want to hear how Sean did it? Ah, he's a crafty little bugger. "
Of course, Eli wouldn't go through all of this if he was the one that took the money. Come on now.
" Sean didn't bring the Big Mouth Joes because he's cheap. " Ronnie continues. " He knew he couldn't leave with the money, so he didn't. What happens to garbage in the 09er zip? He just waited for the recycling to go out the next day and did a little garbage picking. "
Logan shakes his head in shock. " Sean? What? The guy has a chauffeur drive him to school every day. Why would he need to steal? "
" Funny story. " She starts with a grin. " When I went to Sean's, I couldn't help but wonder... What was his dad doing at home, three in the afternoon, dressed in a suit instead of being at work? Unless he was at work. " She says smugly. " I have to say, I was a bit miffed. I was this close to being able to say the butler did it. But no, it was the butler's son. "
The look on Sean's face says it all. " That doesn't prove anything. " He says bitterly.
" Well, that proves that you're a liar and the background check I ran on you proves that you've got a bit of a shoplifting problem. You are really bad at it. " She teases mercilessly.
Sean looks around the table. Weevil tenses under me again while Connor and Duncan look disgusted and Logan looks disappointed. Sean gives a nervous laugh. He stands and turns to Eli.
" I can totally pay you. I have the money, I can get it right now. " He promises in fear.
Logan stands as do Eli and me. I look back and forth between them nervously.
" All right, why don't we take a walk so we can discuss a few things, huh? " Eli asks while cracking his knuckles.
I grab his arm and plead with my eyes for him not to do it. " I'll be right back. " He promises before kissing my cheek. " Come on. "
" But you see I can pay you, see, there's really no need for physical violence. " Sean said trying to get out of it.
Eli nods as they leave the game room." Uh-huh. "
Veronica sits in Sean's seat. " Mind if I deal? "
Of course, I sit in the first hand for Eli while he deals with Sean. I don't condone what he may or may not be doing, but right is right, and wrong is wrong.
He comes back around fifteen minutes later counting a stack of money. I take a good look at him, or his knuckles I should say. Shaking his head at me he grabs me up and takes his seat back. I sit back down in his lap and hand him his cards.
" You win me anything? " He asks taking a look at his hand.
Logan huffs. " She's been winning the whole time. "
I grin with pride. " Did I forget to mention all of the hours of poker I played with the fishermen I worked with In Australia? "
" That's my girl. " Eli says before handing the cards back to me. " She's in and I'm out. "
Well then. I guess he trusts me not to lose his thousand dollars. I smacked my lips against his before getting back in the game.
By the time it's said and done it's down to Veronica and me. It's a close call but I win by one card. Eli kisses me in victory while letting his hands roam down my curves. Logan slaps the cash in my hand hesitantly.
I count out the grand Eli bought in with and give it to him. He takes it and puts it in his pocket.
" Looks like I found the way to send dad to camp. " I say gloating to Veronica.
She rolls her eyes comically. " I think you cheated. "
" Yeah with my x-ray vision. " I say sarcastically.
" Okay now that you've taken all of the money. I say we let the cosmos realign because obviously, something's up. " He says standing from his chair.
Eli nods and we get up too. " I could use something to eat. "
We all go into the party and head straight to the buffet table. I'm pretty hungry too so my plate is full in no time.
" Where are you gonna put all of that querida? " Eli asks with a smirk.
I wiggle my eyebrows. " My ass. "
If I'm not mistaken Mr. Macho is blushing.
" More to love. " He whispers leaning in and nibbling my earlobe.
Tingles go through my body. Damn him!
And just like that, he remembers where he is. Looking around it's almost as if he's expecting to get arrested at any moment.
Shaking my head I say, " calm down babe. It's just the upper class. "
" Seriously, don't I blend right in? Come on... Where's Weevil? " He jokes.
I roll my eyes. " I think we both stand out a little. "
" You kidding me? You are a natural at this. Look at you. " He says with just a hint of pride in his tone.
I chuckle and lead us over to an empty table. Nothing is said for many minutes as we both refuel. I noticed Veronica wandering off five minutes ago, but what kind of trouble can she get into here? No need to worry.
A bell rings drawing attention to the hostess of the party, Mrs. Echolls. " Everyone, if you could just follow the Santas outside, I have a special surprise for everyone. "
I look over at Eli who's still shoveling food in his mouth. " I'll be right back. I want to know what's going on. "
" Hurry back babe. " He says not looking up from his plate.
As I'm walking towards the door I see Mr. Echolls putting his jacket on. One of the servers makes her way to him. The girl has a sketchy look to her so my eyes are glued on them.
" You don't even care, do you? " She asks in a hurt tone.
Mr. Echoll's looks confused. " I'm sorry? "
The server glares up at him. " You sleep with me. Tell me you love me. "
" Lynn, I don't know who this person is I swear. " He swears to his wife. " I don't know you. "
Seeing the look in her eyes change I know she was gonna try something. Before I can get over to them the server girl pulls out a knife and stabs Mr. Echolls in the stomach.
" Oh my God! " I cry out putting my hands to up to cover my face.
The next thing I know I'm being pulled away from the scene. My body is trembling in the aftermath of what I just witnessed. I can't even open my eyes in fear of seeing blood everywhere. I can hear the commotion coming from every which way.
" What happened? " I hear Eli ask.
That's when I hear my dad, who must have been the one to pull me away say, " someone has been stabbed. Tori saw the whole thing. Eli I have to find Veronica please take care of her. "
Being pulled into his muscular arms I'm immediately surrounded by his scent. His hands rub up and down my back trying to calm me down. He sits down and pulls me into his lap. I sob and sob not being able to get the image of the crazed server girl stabbing Logan's dad out of my head.
